Circular lettering guide



y 1959 H. R. KELLER 2,886,891

CIRCULAR LETTERING GUIDE Filed June 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F l G. I

. INVENTOR. HENRY R. KELLER BYY JMM

ATTORNEY y 1959 H. R. KELLER 2,886,891

CIRCULAR LETTERING GUIDE Filed June 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. HEN RY R. KELLER ATTOR NEY Patented May 19, 1959 CIRCULAR LETTERING GUIDE Henry R. Keller, Cedar Grove, NJ. Application June 10, 1957, Serial No. 664,724 8 Claims. (Cl. 33-23) This invention relates to drafting instruments for arranging letters in circular or arcuate alignment and, more particularly, to one which is adapted to be used in conjunction with a printing instrument wherein a scriber is carried by a body member and directed over the surface to be written upon by a tracer pin movable in character grooves formed in a templet and by a tail pin movable in a groove parallel to the line of lettering. Although this example will be discussed in detail, this does not mean that this is the only type of lettering device which might be used.

Heretofore, when the operator of a lettering set or scribing instrument desired to align letters along a curve or in the arc of a circle, it was generally necessary for him to arrange the templet in a plurality of positions in order that the lettering would follow an arcuate contour. To do this accurately, a circular line was drawn, or lines were drawn, to direct the path of the templet or the letters or both. The necessity for doing this was not only undesirable but involved extra work and layout inaccuracies, or in difi'lCllltlCS encountered in arranging the templet in relation to its circular guide line, or arranging the letters so that the center of each would pass through the center of curvature of the arc of alignment. To facilitate accurate arcuate alignment of the letters, the device as set forth herein has been devised.

An object of my invention is to provide an easily-operated device by which the templet of a scribing instrument may be placed in various positions on the arc of a circle of a selected diameter when it is desired to arrange printed matter in arcuate alignment.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is of simple and sturdy construction, and which may be cheaply manufactured.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described which occupies very little space and which may be easily transported with a scribing instrument or lettering set.

These and other objects and advantageswill become apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be under-. stood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the ap pended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters note like parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan of a device embodying my invention, showing in full lines the position of the templet and scribing instrument in relation thereto when it is desired to arcuately align letters or other characters with their bases toward the center of curvature, and in dotted lines, a second position assumed by the templet during use. Figure 2 is a plan of such a device, showing the posi tion of the templet in relation. thereto when it is desired to arcuately align letters with their tops towards the center of curvature.

r along the short side of guide 24, one of these holes serving as a pivot point and Figure 3 is a plan of the device separate from the templet and scribing instrument.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the upper right-hand corner portion of the templet as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an edge view from the right of the device, as shown in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1 which illustrates a device embodying my invention, associated with a templet and scribing instrument so as to be ready for operation, the numeral 11 indicates a sheet of paper, cardboard or the like which is being lettered by means of a pantographic scribing instrument or scriber 12, which in the illustrated embodiment is provided with a body portion 13, having three arms, 14, 15 and 16, from which project, respectively, a tracer pin 17 movable in the character grooves 18 in the templet 19, a tail pin 21 movable in a groove 22 in the templet parallel to the line of letters and/or other characters, and a pen or other marking device 23 for drawing the letters or other characters.

The templet 19, which may consist of a flat strip of boxwood, cellulose acetate, plastic or other suitable material, has parallel lateral edges and contains an alphabet and/or other characters outlined by the grooves 18 in the material. This scriber and templet are used in conjunction with a rectangular sheet of rigid transparent plastic formed as a lettering guide 24, embodying my invention, and which will now be described in detail.

This circular lettering guide of my invention, one embodiment of which is shown in detail in Figures 3, 4 and 5, desirably consists of a rectangular sheet of transparent plastic 24 provided with a group or series of small apertures or holes 25, selectively serving as potential centers of rotation therefor and arranged to define a parallelogram. The sides of the parallelogram are, however, not parallel to the sides of the sheet of plastic. The apertures 25, which are selectively adapted to receive apin for pivoting the guide 24 while on the sheet of paper 11 supported on a drawing board or the like, are not arranged in exactly rectangular form, as will be fully explained, nor are they centered with respectto the sheet, but are rather disposed closest to the edge of a long side 26 and most remote from a short side 27. These holes 25 are not only not arranged in exactly rectangular form, but rather as an oblique parallelogram, but said parallelogram, and the lines of holes forming it, are canted with respect to the sides of the sheet 24, so that the line of holes defining one side slopes with respect to the adjacent side of the sheet at an angle slightly diiferent from the line of holes defining an adjacent side of the parallelo-.

gram of holes nearest the adjacent side of the sheet. I will now describe in detail how a specific embodiment of my invention may be constructed, it being understood that this is merely an example and that variations in construction are permissible.

In the illustrated embodiment, I have shown a series of sixty-three holes forming the group 25, arranged to define an oblique parallelogram, with seven holes equally spaced along the sides which run in the general direction of the long side of the sheet 24, and nine equally spaced holes which run in the general direction along the short sides of the sheet 24. By virtue of the close-packed arrangement, these sixty-three holes, each four of which define a small oblique parallelogram, together involve forty-eight parallelograms nested to make a larger or relatively large parallelogram, measuring six holes spacing along a long side of the sheet and eight holes spacing the sheet. I have, when using the one of the sides of the sheet 24 serving as a ledge along which the templet is slidably movable during the lettering operation.

In order to give a further range of selection in pick assassn ing the center of rotation for the guide 24, scriber 12, and associated templet 19, the sheet of the guide is desirably provided with a portion of reduced thickness forming a shoulder 29, extending parallel to the long side 26 of the sheet, and along which the templet 19 is slidable during the lettering operation. This means that there are five positions that the templet may occupy with respect to the rectangular sheet 24, that is, it may be slidable along the edge of any one of the four sides or along the shoulder 29. This makes it possible to rotate the associated scriber l2 and templet ll) about a very short radius, as a short pivot pin 31 may be inserted in one of the holes 25 in the relatively thin portion 23 be neath the templet 19, so that its upper end does not during use project above the top surface of said portion 28 to interfere with the movement of said templet.

In the particular embodiment under discussion, each of the holes 25 in the line of holes 32 nearest a long side 26 of the sheet extends along a line disposed at an angle to said long side so that the nearest hole on this line is from the edge and the farthest hole on this line is from the edge. Inasmuch as there are seven of these holes, there are six spaces therebetween so that each hole departs an additional & from the edge by virtue of the inclination of the line along which they run. As these holes progress along said long side of the sheet, they depart an additional from one of the short sides of the sheet 24. To be specific, the hole 33, at the extreme left of the line of holes 32, is spaced 5 from the short side 27, assuming that the sheet is 9%" long and 5 Wide; the next hole to the right being further from the side 27 and so on until the last hole in the line 32 is reached.

All of the other holes are arranged in a uniform manner with respect to the base line 32 of holes. That is, the line 34 of holes is disposed at an angle with respect to the short side 35, the hole 36 in said line nearest the edge of said short side being 2" therefrom, and the other holes being spaced more distant therefrom, advancing at a time, so that the farthest hole of the line 34 is 2%" from said short side 35. The other holes forming the composite parallelogram built up of the forty-eight smaller parallelograms are formed in a similar manner, that is, the lines of holes which run in the general direction of the long sides of the sheet are parallel to one another, and those along the lines which run in the general direction of the short sides of the sheet are parallel to one another, but all these lines, of course, are canted with respect to the sides of the sheet, as shown and described.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the large parallelogram is canted with respect to the edges of the sheet so that one corner hole is 5, from the nearest edge and the next nearest corner hole is therefrom, thereby making each hole along one long side of said larger parallelogram vary an additional as it departs from said edge. The line 34 of holes along the short side of said large parallelogram next the short side 35 of the sheet is arranged at an angle thereto so that the nearest hole is 2" therefrom and each other hole along the line varies an additional more remote from the edge of said short side. The line of holes nearest the other long side of the sheet is spaced therefrom so that the nearest hole is 3 therefrom and the other holes are correspondingly more remote. The line of holes defining the remaining side of said large parallelogram are spaced from the edge at the short side 27 of said sheet so that the nearest hole is 5 therefrom and the other holes are correspondingly more remote.

In order to further assist in using the lettering guide 24 heretofore described, I desirably draw a series of lines 37 thereon parallel to the long sides 26 and 3% of the sheet, the first line 38 being spaced A from the edge at said long side 26 and extending from the edge at a short side of said sheet to the corresponding hole in the line 4 34 of the large parallelogram. The rest of the lines of said group in the upper right-hand corner, as viewed in Figure 3, are spaced from one another, so that each terminates at a hole in the line of holes nearest said short side 35 of the sheet.

A corresponding series of lines is also provided parallel to the long sides 26 and 30 of the sheet, the first line 39 being spaced from the edge at said long side and extending from the edge at the other short side 27 of the sheet to the corresponding nearest hole, and the other lines of the group 41 in the upper left-hand corner, as viewed in Figure 3, are spaced apart and each extends from said edge at the side 27 to one of the adjacent holes of the large parallelogram.

I also desirably provide a corresponding series of lines perpendicular to the lines of the series or groups 37 and 41, extending parallel with respect to the edges at the short sides of the sheet and terminating at adjacent holes in a corresponding manner. The perpendicular line 42 of the series or group 43, closest to the edge at the short side 35 is spaced 2" from that edge and the other lines in its series or group are spaced from each other. The perpendicular line 44 in the other series or group 45, closest to the edge at the short side 27, is spaced 5 from that edge, and the other lines in said series are spaced from each other, continuing as illustrated.

From the foregoing discussion it will be seen that the lettering guide heretofore described is used for lettering on a sheet of impression-receiving material in arcs about radii, about a selectively positioned pivot device, which radii may be varied from a small distance, such as A in the present case, to a relatively long distance, such as 9" or more in steps of very small amounts, in this instance 1A2". The templet 19 is placed against the shoul-. der 29, desirably positioned so as to serve as the sixth line from the top of the series 37, the sixth line from the top of the series 41 being omitted as it would be only & above said shoulder, see Figure 4, and rotated about a pin 31 extending from the carrying board and desirably snugly fitting in a selected hole in the thin portion 28 of the guide 24 for lettering about the shortest or one of the shorter of the radii selectable with this guide. When it is desired to use a longer radius, the templet 19 is placed against the edge at the long side 26 of the guide (Fig. 1), for use with the pin or tack 31a, while the letter being drawn is on one of the lines 45 extending approximately from said pin. When a still larger radius is desired, the guide is placed against the edge at the short side 35 of the sheet (Fig. 2) for use with a pin or tack 31b; against the edge of the long side 30 of the sheet for an even longer radius, and against the edge at the short side 27 of the sheet for the longest radius employable with this guide.

Although I have described specifically how a guide may be constructed for lettering about a selected radius chosen, in steps of for any distance from a very small radius to a relatively large radius, it will be understood that a similar guide may be employed in which the range of variation in radii is diiferent and the steps are different, by merely spacing the holes forming the large parallelogram 25 at correspondingly different distances. Said holes in any event are, however, desirably uniformly spaced, but not necessarily spaced the same distance transversely of the sheet as longitudinally of the sheet.

Take for example the present instance: the holes are spaced a greater distance apart longitudinally of the sheet than they are transversely of the sheet. This is because there are a greater number (that is, nine holes) in lines extending transversely of the sheet, and a smaller number (only seven holes) in lines extending longitudinally of the sheet so that, in order to have uniform increments, the spacing between adjacent holes is transversely of the sheet and W longitudinally of the sheet.

However, it will be understood that the holes need not be arranged as nine rows of seven each, as they may, if desired, be arranged as some other number of rows of some other number of holes, and the number of rows may correspond with the number of holes in each row. In the latter event, however, then the spacing longitudinally between the holes would correspond with the spacing transversely between the holes, in order to get uniform increments in going from one selected hole to the next, and the small and large parallelograms previously referred to, would be squares.

Viewing the arrangement of holes broadly, it will be seen that in selecting a radius-say, using the edge at the long side 26-1 have, jumping from one line of longitudinally extending holes to the next, a step of V These holes acting like a Vernier to subdivide the distance between these steps, I have, running from one hole to the next from right to left, increment, that is, beginning at the hole nearest the right, I have the edge spacing, the next one being 16, the next the next the next the next A6", and the final hole in that line %2". The hole for the next spacing is the one at the extreme right in the second line of holes from the edge at the long side 26 of the sheet 34 from said edge. This explanation shows how the selection is made so that a very wide range with very short increments is provided while avoiding the necessity for drilling the holes very close together, as would be necessary if the Vernier like arrangement, just described, were not employed.

In selecting a pin for pivoting the guide to the drawing board during use, it is suggested that it be a straight pin or pivot member, to be placed in the hole which would give the particular radius desired for use. The letter or other character is then centered with respect to the selected hole, as with the aid of one of the lines on the guide which extends from said hole to the guide edge being used. After one letter is drawn, then the next selected letter is moved to the place of the first letter and the guide rotated to place the next letter in the position following that of the first letter, the operation being repeated until all the letters or characters are applied to the sheet of paper or other material being lettered.

When it is desired to arcuately align letters with their tops toward the center of curvature, the templet is reversed with respect to the guide so that the characters are upside down and the groove 22 farther removed from the center than said lettering, all as shown in Figure 2, in contrast to the showing in Figure 1. Otherwise the use of the guide and the operation of the templet and scriber are as previously described in connection with Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5.

Having now described my invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device adapted to be used with a lettering guide for the arcuate alignment of characters, said device being formed as a rectangular sheet of rigid, transparent material, a parallelogram arrangement of small holes in said sheet, with each hole spaced a uniform distance from its neighbor one way of the sheet and a uniform distance from its neighbor the other way of the sheet, said holes being arranged at the corners of parallelograms with re spect to one another so that a selected number of corner holes from a corresponding number of small parallelograms, aggregating a larger parallelogram consisting of said small ones, arranged as a selected number of rows of a selected number each, said larger parallelogram being canted with respect to the edges of the sheet so that one corner hole is a small unitary distance from and that is spaced.

the nearest edge at one side of the sheet and the next nearest corner hole is a multiple of that unitary distance therefrom, thereby making each hole along one side of said larger parallelogram an additional small unitary distance as it departs from said edge, the line of holes along an adjacent side of said larger parallelogram nearest the corresponding edge at a side of said sheet being arranged at an angle thereto so that the nearest hole is a selected distance therefrom greater than the unitary distance mentioned and each hole along the lines varies an additional small unitary distance more remote from said last-mentioned edge.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in combination with a character-carrying templet slidable along a selected edge of said sheet, a pivot device received in a selected hole, and a pantographic scribing instrument for use with said templet for making corresponding characters, along a circle about said pivot device as a center, on an associated sheet of impression-receiving material.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which one side portion of the sheet is formed thinner than the remainder, so as to leave a shoulder extending parallel to the edge at said side and against which. a charactercarrying templet may be placed, when using said device for making corresponding characters along arcs of very small radii.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which the transparent sheet carries guide lines extending perpendicular to and from at least one of its edges to the adjacent holes to serve as guides in placing an associated templet for a lettering operation.

5. A device adapted to be used with a lettering guide for the arcuate alignment of characters, said device being formed as a rectangular sheet of rigid, transparent material, a parallelogram arrangement of small holes in said sheet, with each hole spaced a uniform distance from its neighbor one way of the sheet and a uniform distance from its neighbor the other Way of the sheet, said holes being arranged at the corners of parallelograms with respect to one another so that a selected number of corner holes form a corresponding number of small parallelograms, aggregating a larger parallelogram consisting of said small ones, arranged as a selected number of rows of a selected number each, said larger parallelogram being canted with respect to the edges of the sheet so that one corner hole is a small unitary distance from the nearest edge at one side of the sheet and the next nearest corner hole is a multiple of that unitary distance therefrom, thereby making each hole along one side of said larger parallelogram an additional small unitary distance as it departs from said edge, the line of holes along an adjacent side of said larger parallelogram nearest the corresponding edge at a side of said sheet being arranged at an angle thereto so that the nearest hole is a selected distance therefrom greater than the unitary distance mentioned and each hole along the line varies an additional small unitary distance more remote from said edge, the line of holes nearest to the next adjacent edge of said sheet being spaced therefrom so that the nearest hole is a selected distance greater than the previously mentioned greater selected distance, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote, the line of holes defining the remaining side of said larger parallelogram being spaced from the edge of the remaining side of said sheet so that the nearest hole is a selected distance greater than that of any of the other mentioned selected distances therefrom, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote.

6. A device adapted to be used with a lettering guide for the arcuate alignment of characters, said device being formed as a rectangular sheet of rigid, transparent material having unequal adjacent sides, a parallelogram arrangement of small holes in said sheet, with each hole spaced a uniform distance from its neighbor longways of the sheet, said holes being arranged at the corners of parallelograms with respect to one another so that a selected number of corner holes form a corresponding number of small parallelograms, aggregating a larger parallelogram consisting of said small ones, arranged as a selected number of rows of a selected number each, said larger parallelogram being canted with respect to the edges of the sheet so that one corner hole is a small unitary distance from the nearest edge at a long side of the sheet and the next nearest corner hole is a multiple of that unitary distance therefrom, thereby making each hole along one side of said larger parallelogram an additional small unitary distance as it departs from said edge, the line of holes along the side of said larger parallelogram nearest the edge at a short side of said sheet being arranged at an angle thereto so that the nearest hole is a selected distance therefrom greater than the unitary distance mentioned, and each hole along the line varies an additional small unitary distance more remote from said edge, the line of holes nearest to the other long edge of said sheet being spaced therefrom so that the nearest hole is a selected distance greater than the previously mentioned greater selected distance, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote, the line of holes defining the remaining side of said larger parallelogram being spaced from the edge of the other short side of said sheet so that the nearest hole is a selected distance greater than that of any of the other mentioned selected distances therefrom, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote.

7. A device adapted to be used with a lettering guide for the arcuate alignment of characters, said device being formed as a rectangular sheet of rigid, transparent material having unequal adjacent sides, a parallelogram arrangement of small holes in said sheet, with each hole spaced a uniform distance from its neighbor shortWays of the sheet and a uniform distance from its neighbor longways of the sheet, said holes being arranged at the corners of parallelograms with respect to one another so that a selected number of corner holes form a corresponding number of small parallelograrns, aggregating a larger parallelogram consisting of said small ones, arranged as a selected number of rows, each extending along the length of the sheet and of a selected number each which is less than the number of rows, said larger parallelogram being canted with respect to the edge of the sheet so that one corner hole is a small unitary distance from the nearest edge at a long side of the sheet and the next nearest corner hole is a multiple of that unitary distance therefrom, thereby making each hole along one side of said larger parallelogram an additional small unitary distance as it departs from said edge, the line of holes along the side of said larger parallelogram nearest the edge at a short side of said sheet being arranged at an angle thereto, greater than the canting angle with respect to the long side of the sheet, so that the nearest hole is a selected distance therefrom great or than the unitary distance mentioned, and each hole along the line varies an additional small unitary distance more remote from said edge, the line of holes nearest to the other long edge of said sheet being spaced there from so that the nearest hole is a selected distance greator than the previously mentioned greater selected distance, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote, the line of holes defining the remaining side of said larger parallelogram being spaced from the edge of the other short side of said sheet so that the nearest F) hole is a selected distance greater than that of any of the" other mentioned selected distances therefrom, and the other holes are correspondingly more remote.

8. A device adapted to be used with a lettering guide for the arcuate alignment of characters, said device being formed as a rectangular sheet of rigid transparent plastic material having unequal adjacent sides, a parallelogram arrangement of small holes in said sheet material, with each hole spaced about from its neighbor transverse of the sheet, and about irom its neighbor lengthwise of the sheet, said holes being arranged at the corners of parallelograms with respect to one another, so that sixtythree corner holes form forty-eight small parallelograms, aggregating a larger parallelogram consisting of said forty-eight small ones arranged as six rows of eight each, said larger parallelogram being canted with respect to the edges of the sheet so that one corner hole is l from the nearest edge at a long side of the sheet and the next nearest corner hole is 7 therefrom, thereby making each hole along one side of said larger parallelogram vary an additional ,6, as it departs from said edge, the line of holes along a side of said larger parallelogram nearest the edge at a short side of said sheet being arranged at an angle thereto so that the nearest hole is 2" therefrom and each hole along the line varies an additional more remote from said edge, the line of holes nearest to the other long edge of said sheet being spaced therefrom so that the nearest hole is 3 therefrom and the other holes are correspondingly more remote, the line of holes defining the remaining side of said larger parallelogram being spaced from the edge of the other short side of said sheet so that the nearest hole is 5 therefrom and the other holes correspondingly more remote; a series of lines drawn parallel to the first-mentioned long side of said sheet, the first line being spaced A" from the edge at said long side and extending from the edge at a short side of said sheet to the corresponding nearest hole of the larger parallelogram, the rest of the lines in said group being spaced from one another so that each terminates at a hole in the line of holes nearest said short side of the sheet, a corresponding series of lines parallel to said first-men-v tioned long side of the sheet, the first line being spaced from said edge and extending from the edge at the other short side of the sheet to the corresponding nearest hole, the other lines being spaced apart and each: extending from said short edge to one of the adjacent holes; and corresponding series of lines perpendicular to the first-mentioned lines and extending parallel with respect to said short edges of the sheet and terminating at adjacent holes in a corresponding manner, the perpendicrnar line of the series closest to a short side being spaced 2" from the edge thereat and the other lines in said series being spaced & from each other, the perpendicular line of the other series closest to the other short side being spaced 5 from the edge thereat and the other lines in said series being spaced A from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,301,092 Bernard Apr. '22, 1919 2,482,743 Chanfrau Sept. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,090,653 France Oct. 20, 1954 

